It Is Good
Gtcotr/ss010707
Let me tell you a story told me by my brother-in-law, Dee Minter.
There once was a King who lived in
One day while hunting pheasant the king raised his gun to his shoulder readying to bring down a bird but the gun misfired and exploded back through the breech taking the King’s right thumb off. In pain he dropped the gun and fell to his knees.
The King’s friend rushed to him and assisting the injured King he said, “Don’t worry King, it is good.” This angered the King who rose and responded, “It’s good! It’s good! How can you say it is good that I have lost my thumb?” With that he ordered his friend arrested and put into prison.
Two years later the King was hunting again and this time ventured out farther than normal and was surrounded by a group of head-hunting cannibals. He was captured and taken back to their village. In preparation for their ritual of bathing and boiling their captives before eating them, it was noticed that the King’s thumb was missing.
Well according to their tribal superstition, one cannot hold captive nor kill someone with an evident physical or mental deficit or do harm to anyone with a malady of this sort. So the King being let go and forced out of the village found his way back to his kingdom.
Arriving home he told the story stating at the end that it was a good thing he had lost his thumb in the hunting accident two years earlier. Upon saying that it was good he remembered his friend and felt very bad that he had treated him with such distemper.
The King sent for his friend who was let out of prison, cleaned up and brought before the King. The King re-told his friend the story of the cannibals and apologized to him that out of anger and insult he had imprisoned him. The friend forgave the king by saying “it is good that I have been in prison.”
Once again the King was perplexed. “What do you mean it is good? How could it be good that you were wrongfully sent to prison?”
“Well”, the friend replied, “It is good that you put me in prison. If you had not then I would most certainly have been eaten!”
It is good!
Key Scripture: Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
I can look back on my life and see how the hand of God guided me away from many of the things I wanted and thought was best for me at the time. God’s mercy positioned me to prepare me, stretched me to strengthen me and held me back to bless me. God has been good to me and I can truly say:
It is good!
It is good whether we believe it or not.
It is good whether we feel it or not.
It is good whether we think it or not.
God, Who sees the end from the beginning, is the Great Umpire of all life. Each situation and every circumstance of life, though perhaps tragic and without sense in it’s own moment, nonetheless is weaved into the fabric of all life, past, present and future, to create the Good will of God for all mankind.
God’s part is to make all things work together for the good of His children. Our part is to trust Him and let Him work.
How can we get ourselves to the place where we let God be God?
It begins with what we think.
Our minds create the world we live in and determine how we live in the world we are in.
This is one of the main reasons the Apostle Paul wrote in:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Romans 10:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Even Joshua was told that he would both prosper and be successful if only he would meditate on God’s word and will for his life and not on his own estimation of himself or the situations he faced.
What is God’s will for your life? Maybe I cannot tell you in minute detail but I can tell you categorically and unequivocally - God’s will for you is good.
It is good!
This is what the Heavenly Angels announced to the Shepherds who were watching their sheep on that first Christmas. Their words were a proclamation of God’s will for all mankind.
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
One closing scripture and then I will summarize today’s message.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)
Summary:
Not everything we face in life seems good in the moment, but, placed in the loving hands of God and given time everything will work out for the best. This is a promise from God.
God’s part is to work everything out.
Our part is to trust Him and be patient by thinking true, noble, just, pure, lovely and good thoughts, not allowing ourselves to wallow in thoughts of depression, worry, fear, anxiety, misery or disappointment.
You see:
Our minds create the world we live in and determine how we live in the world we are in.
God is going to do His part even if we do not do ours. But, if we do ours too, then we will have a much happier, healthier and productive life, family and future.
We cannot imagine what God has prepared for us and how He is orchestrating our lives to unfold to His planned good end. But He is!
Remember: It is good! And, tell someone this week.
